Vietnam: Grassroots counseling on family issues

Grassroots counseling on family issues is prescribed in Decree No. 08/2009/ND-CP of Vietnam’s Government as follows:

- Commune-level People's Committees shall identify and make lists of persons for grassroots counseling on family issues according to Clause 3, Article 16 of the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control of Vietnam.

- Based on local plans on domestic violence prevention and control and lists of persons defined above, commune-level People's Committees shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organizations and communities in. organizing grassroots counseling on family issues.

- Grassroots counseling on family issues shall be conducted in the following forms:

+ In person;

+ Through the mass media;

+ In other forms.

- Commune-level civil servants in charge of judicial affairs shall coordinate with those in charge of socio-cultural affairs in providing and disseminating documents, information and knowledge on domestic violence prevention and control to couples before they are given marriage certificates; and provide contents of grassroots counseling on family issues to the mass media.

- Commune-level civil servants in charge of socio-cultural affairs, civil servants in charge of judicial affairs, officials of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Vietnam Women's Union, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Peasants' Association, War Veterans' Association and Elderly Association; members of grassroots reconciliation teams and commune-level health workers who have been trained in counseling may conduct in-person counseling on family issues at the grassroots.

- The Ministry of Culture. Sports and Tourism shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice in, compiling documents on domestic violence prevention and control; and formulate training programs and organize the training of grassroots counselors on family issues related to domestic violence prevention and control.

View more details at Decree No. 08/2009/ND-CP of Vietnam’s Government, effective from March 22, 2009.

Long Binh

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